The Jam Circus restoration
330-332 Brockley Road, SE4 2BT
020 8692 3320
www.jamcircus.com
Local blogger Kaja Emilie Berg has interviewed the manager of Jam Circus about her plans to restore the reopened pub's place at the heart of the community. She writes:
Fire broke out in the popular Brockley pub last year, due to electrical wiring problems. The pub’s manager, Rose Hanison (28), says it was a big job getting the place back in shape.
“We would have opened it a lot sooner, but we had a lot of different bits and pieces to do. The fire was so extensive and it took us a very long time to clean and get everything set up again,” she explains.
The pub’s got a warm feel to it and hints of vintage style with furniture from different time periods and authentic details, such as old board games and lamps.
“We haven’t actually changed that much in the style and look. The wallpaper and furniture is a bit different. But the general feeling of the pub is the same as before,” Hanison says.
Hanison says the fact that the pub is loved among locals was a motivation for reopening. “Jam Circus has always been known as a community based pub. The support on Facebook and Twitter since we reopened has been humbling.”
Jam Circus are planning to bring back the evenings and events from before the fire. The popular Pub Quiz as well as Cabaret nights where comedians, poets, writers and so on will be able to perform in an informal space, is on the agenda.
“The plans are to eventually expand a third more on the size and have a function room and a dining room at the back. This might happen in January,” Hanison reveals.
Hanison would also like the space to be used by locals if anyone needs a room for workshops.
“One of my dreams for the pub is to make it a creative space for the area. I’m open for people in the community to come to me and tell me what they want to do with the space, and if it works for us we are very happy to get it going.”
The pub also just had a brand new coffee machine fitted, for those in need of a relaxing atmosphere during the day.
“We’ll be a café and lunch area during the day time, a pub and a restaurant at night time and during the weekends we’ll give you a good party time.”
You can read Kaja's blog here.